Bad Back Wins, And Larry Bird Is Gone

Bird Retires After 13 Seasons

Larry Bird entered the National Basketball Association as a quiet kid from Indiana with a work ethic befitting his country boy image.

"I knew what I had to do every night," Bird said. "I had to play at a high level."

And that's exactly what he did.

Every night.

So when his painful back no longer allowed him to play at that level, there was only one choice.

Bird retired Tuesday after a 13-year career with the Boston Celtics, recognized as the player who resurrected the franchise, added a new dimension to the forward position and helped carry the NBA to new heights of popularity.

"Quite simply, Larry Bird has helped to define the way a generation of basketball fans has come to view and appreciate the NBA," NBA commissioner David Stern said. "In the future, great players will be judged against the standards he has set, but there will never be another Larry Bird."

Bird, 35, plagued by back problems for the past two seasons, missed 22 games in the 1990-91 season and underwent surgery June 7, 1991. He played just 45 games last season, missing most of the second half and five games in the playoffs. His final appearance was Aug. 8 when the United States won the gold medal at the Olympics with a 117-85 victory over Croatia. He played 12 minutes and did not score.

Dave Gavitt, Celtics senior executive vice president, said Bird would remain with the team and "assist me in various capacities," including community functions.

"I'm excited going into a new life, but I'm going to miss this life," said Bird, his eyes reddened.

"I had a lot of injuries through the years, but I just couldn't shake the back injuries. I gave my body, my heart, my soul to the Celtics, and hopefully I can continue to have a good relationship with the Celtics."

Bird's greatness was magnified by the fact that he returned the Celtics to greatness. The Celtics were 29-53 the season before he arrived and 61-21 in 1979-80, when Bird was NBA rookie of the year. The 6-foot-9 forward had little jumping ability, but his passing acumen, shooting and creativity helped bring the Celtics NBA titles in 1981, 1984 and 1986.

He was a three-time league Most Valuable Player, the playoff MVP in 1984 and 1986, and an All-Star 11 times. He averaged 24.3 points, 10 rebounds and 6.3 assists a game. He scored 21,791 points, 11th on the career list.

"Larry was the only player in the league that I feared, and he was the smartest player I ever played against," former Los Angeles Lakers guard Magic Johnson said.

Johnson, who led the Lakers to five world championships before retiring in November, and Bird have been credited with helping rescue the NBA from financial straits. They both entered the league the season after Johnson had led Michigan State over Bird and Indiana State in the 1979 NCAA final. In their era, NBA attendance rose, TV revenue increased and salaries skyrocketed. The Celtics, who couldn't fill Boston Garden while winning seven consecutive championships in the 1960s, have sold out every game since the 1980-81 season, Bird's second with the team